Titans hold on for one-run victory
A round-up of the Ram Slam T20 Challenge matches played on November 13, 2015
ESPNcricinfo staff
14-Nov-2015
File photo: Reeza Hendricks took Knights to the brink of victory, but was dismissed in the final over • Getty Images
A four-wicket haul from David Wiese defied a fighting half-century from Reeza Hendricks, as Titans edged past Knights by one run in Bloemfontein. Set a meager 129 for victory, Knights began poorly, losing wickets at regular intervals, but Hendricks, who slammed an unbeaten 98 against Cobras, kept his team on course by stroking a 52-ball 63 with six fours and a six. Hendricks, however, received little by way of support from his team-mates; only two other batsmen managed double-digit scores as Wiese dented the Knights' chase with four wickets in successive overs.
Hendricks' knock meant Knights needed nine runs off the final over. With four runs required off the last two balls, a couple of metres proved the difference, as Hendricks' pull off Wiese landed in the hands of Lungi Ngidi at square leg. Malusi Siboto, the No.9 batsman, could only manage two off the final delivery, as Titans hung on to go second in the table.
Earlier, Titans were restricted 128 for 5 after being inserted. The team was struggling at 48 for 4 before the captain Albie Morkel (46) and Farhaan Behardien revived the innings with a 54-run stand. Siboto and Shadley van Schalkwyk picked up two wickets apiece.
Seamer Sisanda Magala's five-wicket burst helped Warriors seal a 25-run win over Lions after opener Colin Ackermann's unbeaten 59-ball 79 had taken Warriors to 155.
Lions were off to a quick start in their chase, with openers Rassie van der Dussen and Devon Conway putting on 49 runs in 5.3 overs. But, Magala struck twice in the sixth over to remove Conway and Hardus Viljoen, and he followed it up with Andre Malan's wicket in his next over. In the meantime, JT Smuts had bowled Alviro Peterson for duck.
From 60 for 4, Lions recovered through a 51-run stand between van der Dussen and captain Thami Tsolekile, but Magala and Smuts shot down any prospects of a Lions victory with quick wickets in the end.
After being asked to bat, Warriors had begun poorly, losing opener Smuts to Bjorn Fortuin off the first ball of the match, but Ackermann and
Colin Ingram, who smashed 52 off 36 balls, put on 96 runs for the second wicket in 68 balls. Despite Warriors losing quick wickets, Ackermann steered them to what eventually turned out to be a match-winning total.
